Tag Archives: Australia

Summer Wrap is a series of my highlights and favourites from summer. A collection of eating,drinking and dining that captures the sunny warm weather of a Perth summer to a ‘T’. This two part post was the inspiration for this series as I have recently been looking back over this past summer and all the things I have enjoyed doing in and around Perth to do with drinking and dining.

This is the last post in the series as it was my last summer activity before I left for the UK. For my last day in Perth I chose to spend it with good company celebrating my favourite parts of summer in Australia. The highlight of the day was watching the sunset at the beach.

My last sunset at Cottesloe Beach

My last day in Perth was spent with good company celebrating at one of my favourite summer spots – the beach! While I was sitting with my friends on the foreshore watching the sun set after having a swim we all found that we were craving hot chips and a milkshake as the perfect snack. We found that Red Spoon did frozen yoghurt milkshakes and with some hot chips and sauce from Amberjack’s Fish and Chips we then settled in to watch my last Australian sunset for a few years.

Hot chips and a milkshake

I thoroughly enjoyed the view, food and company and think that I will have to spend many more evening like this when I return to Perth. I have recently been receiving reports that the weather is beginning to cool down in Perth so before it gets any chillier I would highly recommend this as a fantastic way to spend an evening!

Summer Wrap is a series of my highlights and favourites from summer. A collection of eating,drinking and dining that captures the sunny warm weather of a Perth summer to a ‘T’. This two part post was the inspiration for this series as I have recently been looking back over this past summer and all the things I have enjoyed doing in and around Perth to do with drinking and dining.

With summer winding down in Australia I have been looking over the past few months for my favourite drinks, places to eat and things to cook during the season. With the warmer weather I found was perfect for drinking a few ciders with friends on the weekend. And this post picks up from my previous posts on good wines and cocktails to drink in the summer months, if you haven’t read that post yet you can do so here. While working on this post I brought in a dear friend and fellow cider-lover D from Perth who I used to work with, to help me narrow down our top favourites.

D and I have spent countless hours back when I used to work in a bottle shop in Perth eyeing off the cider fridge trying to pick out which one we would try next. It has been a long journey but it is safe to say that we have finally tasted our way through all the cider ranges now. The last cider we had to try was Rekorderlig’s Apple and Guava which was kindly sent to me by Katy so we could try it. When Katy reached out to me I remembered all the times D and I had stared at the cider fridge wondering which one we should try next and realised how overwhelming the expansion of the cider-market can be for people who just rush into the bottle-shop wanting the perfect cider for their needs at that point. This idea then grew to include the other thing I think of when I think cider, and that is summer! Summer and cider for me go hand in hand! Although I do drink cider year-round, I have a special spot for it in the hot afternoons in the summer months.

There are plenty of ciders on the market! Enough to make sure you have a range of favourites ciders for each and every occasion you could imagine! Ciders range in sweetness, flavours, alcohol content, and the intensity of the fruit in the cider. Each person ends up finding their own niche in the cider market. My preference is for the cider to be fruit driven and on the dryer side of the sweetness scale. I do also from time to time feel like a flavoured cider and having tasted many of these I was quick to adopt the Rekorderlig brand before it reached it’s crazed following that it rightly deserves in the cider-market in Australia.

Traditional Ciders

Below is a collection of ciders that have previously been features on this blog in the 18 or so months that I have been writing blog posts. I have tried many more but not taken a snapshot at the time. The Cidery is a favourite of mine but one that is not the easiest to find in bottle shops in Perth. Their ciders are true to the apple flavours and they have a range that will enable anyone to find a sweetness to their liking. I highly recommend stopping at the Cidery if you are in or around Bridgetown or even picking up some of their ciders if you see them in one of the smaller independent liquor retailers in and around Perth. Monteiths and Bulmers are my go-to ciders when I am out having drinks with friends and looking for something on-tap. Monteiths is a New Zealand cider and their ciders tend to have a softer finish while still being a dry cider compared to Bulmers. One other cider brand that I have been meaning to mention is Somersby. Somersby has been a newish addition to the cider market that has done very well this past summer and has become the all-rounder go-to for many people including myself over the likes of 5 Seeds and Strongbow ciders.

Monteiths, Raffles Hotel

Bulmer’s apple cider.

Monteith’s Apple Cider.

Little Creature’s Pear Cider.

The Cidery, Scrudamore’s Scrumpy

The Cidery, Sweet Rosie.

The Cidery – Spider Cider.

Flavoured Ciders

When it comes to flavoured ciders the market is not as large but there is still enough of a range for people to become perplexed by. Rekorderlig is the range that stormed onto the scene a couple of years ago and has been blazing a trail of popularity and success for other ranges such as Bulmer’s Blackcurrant flavour, Monteith’s flavoured range, Cheeky Rascal, and Kopparberg to start appearing on bottle shop shelves. All but the Cheeky Rascal (VERY high alcohol content which does not make for an enjoyable drink) ranges are nice, but it was Rekorderlig which won my heart over. Rekorderlig has a wide range of flavours that I have tasted my way through and while not all were favourites of mine I did not hate a single one.

Peach and Apricot Rekorderlig

Passionfruit Rekorderlig

D helped me out especially with this post when it came to reviewing Rekorderlig’s new Apple and Guava flavour. I have included his review word for word below with his permission as I felt it fit the cider to a ‘T’ and I could not have reviewed it any better!

Apple and Guava is one of the recent additions to my local liquor store shelf. An avid fan of the brands previous flavours, I was very keen to give this one a try. The cider manages to balance the flavour of the two fruits perfectly. The acidic level is much less obvious when compared to other ciders, a quality I have come to appreciate from Rekordelig. In saying this I also found this flavour less overly sweet than some of its siblings which are a bonus. The result of this balance is a much lighter feel in the mouth and enjoyed cool or better over ice, is just a great way to top off the day. I tend to find that my body doesn’t like too much at either end of the bitter/sweet spectrum before it starts telling me to stop. That can be a good or bad thing depending how you look at it I suppose but some days you just need a few, ya hearing me? ;P We all have those days.. Anyhoo, back to the A&G.. The guava becomes more noticeable as the palate clears. The apple is less detectable however given how many apple ciders are out there we can hardly fault it for stepping back to let Guava be the hero. It is very refreshing, perhaps the most of this brand’s varieties. It is lightly bubbly and has a very light pink blush. In fact, if you poured this into a sparkling wine glass no one would be any the wiser! 😉 This drink is ideal on those summery days but if I’m being honest, I am quite happy drinking something over ice anytime of the year so I won’t let the seasons slow me from enjoying the odd cold one.

Apple and Guava Rekorderlig

Disclaimer: Katy at Exposure was kind enough to send me a case of Rekorderlig’s Apple and Guava to sample the new flavour.

To see what wines we have tried so far you can check out my blog posts on the first (unofficial meet) along with our second and third meets (official meets). A month ago I caught up with some fellow Perth wine lovers and bloggers for the third official Wine Century Challenge Meet. This meet was held at Steve’s Food and Fine Wine. The wines that we tasted this night seemed to have a trend of the nose and palate of the wine being very contradictory and polarised many of us at the tasting. Notes for the wines are under the categories of eye (E), nose (N) and palate (P) as usual for these tastings.

WHITES

2011 Giró Ribot, Muscat de Frontignac. Pendés, Spain (13%) (RRP $20)

E: clear, pale lemon wine in the glass.

N: very punchy, fruity (sweet pear), nutty, and slightly sticky after notes. This wine was warm and inviting.

This wine was one which I and many others felt needed a little more time in the bottle before it would be at it’s best for drinking. Those who had tried older vintages of this wine raved about those so I do hope this wine follows in the footsteps of its older vintages as it did show the potential to be a great wine.

I have just entered into a month long practicum and I am hoping I will be able to find some down time to get a handle on the backlog of posts I have to put up. I attended the Vintage Cellar’s International Wine Festival in Perth roughly 2 weeks ago, being a team member for Coles Liquor I was granted free access to the event and used it as a chance to sample many new wines that I sell to customers as well as getting a chance to talk to the people behind the wines. It was, like last year an enjoyable evening and while I missed interacting with the patrons like I had the previous year when I worked the event this time around it was nicer to be able to talk to the wine makers and the reps about their products.

I did not make any detailed notes at the event for specific wines, rather I used this event to gage what I liked and what I felt I could sell back at work. I also had the chance to speak to Matt Skinner briefly while he was in town and it was nice to finally meet the man who is the face of wine for Coles Liquor.

Matt Skinner and I.

The event was segregated into two areas, one being Australia and New Zealand (with some Spanish booths) and the other being Old World. I ended up spending more time in the first area due to the stock on hand in my store, however I would have much preferred to have spent the majority of my time in the Old World section of the event – Unfortunately this is not what my current store stocks. Below are just some of the wines that I tried and thought were worth mentioning.

Red Queen of the Eden Valley Shiraz ($99.99) – a VERY nice wine and it lingered in the mouth for a long time. Not sure if I would pay as much as they’re asking for it but it was a a treat to try this wine.

This winery chose to stick to what New Zealand is known for – Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. Both of these varietals have been done exceptionally well by Blind River and their premier line was very nice, and consisted of a Sauvignon Blanc ($22.99) and Pinot Noir ($34.99) which highlighted why these varietals are the standouts for the region. The lady running the booth was fantastic to talk to as well!

Exceptional wines and it was nice to see a few different varietals that differed to the traditional Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. I spent quite a while here talking with the wine rep, it was interesting to go into more depth on the reasoning behind the alternative varietals as well as their struggles when it came to getting it out to a wider market due to the overwhelming popularity of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs.

Rose ($19.99) – 100% Merlot grapes and it won me over from the first sip. I will have to get my hands on some bottles of this for next summer as it will be a perfect wine to sip away on a hot summers afternoon.

Grüner Veltliner – white peach, lime and floral notes. I was hunting for a Riesling from New Zealand and this was as close as I got to one. It was not quite what I was looking for but still a delicious wine.

This is a line which Coles has exclusive rights to in Australia. I have always been a little wary of their wines due to this fact. I have to say that I was wrong for being skeptical and really enjoyed tasting my way though their range. I was very impressed all around and the husband of one of the children of the owners who was running the booth was well versed with the wines and a pleasure to chat with.

I had a wonderful time chatting with the wine rep and wine maker at this booth. They had quite a large range of wines to try over the three labels which I ended up comparing and contrasting with as I went through.

Ranking the Sauvignon Blanc’s (and the labels overall):

1. Squealing Pig

2. 900 Grapes

3. Matua

I also enjoyed the 900 Grapes Merlot over their Pinot Noir (both $19.99) – it seems that Merlot was out to surprise me this night and was trying to convince me to give it another try after swearing off it a few years ago.

This is the same people who make the wine LAB which I loved and reviewed in this blog. I went through the rest of their range that they import to Australia and there were some other gems to be found like the LAB in their range.

Bons VentosRose ($9.99) – refreshing and a great value for money rose.

Quinta Das Setencostas Red ($14.99) – Not a bad wine, I still preferred LAB to this one personally but I wouldn’t mind having a bottle of this over dinner either.

I worked this booth at last years show so I quickly popped by to try the Beyer Ranch Zinfandel ($19.99) and the Morning Fog Chardonnay ($19.99) once more. They were both as nice as I remembered from last year and the booth was very busy so I did not linger for very long.

Chalkboard Series

This is another Coles exclusive range. One which is in the process of being added to (Matt Skinner mentioned that there will be a Prosecco out in the near future from Brown Brother under this label, which I am definitely going to be on the look out for after my first tasting of a Prosecco at this event!)

The Central Otago Pinot Noir ($18.99) was a definite favourite of many people at the booth tasting the wines. However it was the Cote’s du Rhone ($11.99) which stole my heart in this range!

I haven’t had a stand out value for money wine this month unfortunately.

3. What has been added to my to-try wine list?

Plantagenet, Galafrey and Orangje Tractor – these three wineries are ones which I did not managed to visit when I was down south due to falling sick. I do hope to be back down in that region in the near future!

4. What restaurants do I want to return to?

BF and I went to the Merrywell at Crown Casino for his birthday (another restaurant review in the que to get up on this blog!) we decided to order individual meals rather than from the share menu. I would love to and need to return and try their share food as well as to have another cocktail (pictured below) which was delicious!

5. What was my favourite meal this month?

The waffles at Little Creatures was a great way to celebrate BF’s birthday with friends.

6. Upcoming events for next month?

Good Food and Wine show – tickets went on sale May 1st, the show will be in town July 19-21. (entry costs $36, extra for wine and cheese classes and lunches)

Harewood Estate Winery – I had a fantastic time with the lady running the cellar door! She was informative and happy to discuss both their wines and recommend other wines to me to pursue my wine century challenge. I highly recommend visiting as the cellar door’s location has a fantastic view and a packed picnic would be a nice way to spend the afternoon.

9. Restaurant I am most keen to try next month?

Jamie Oliver’s new restaurant in town called Jamie’s. I’ve been eyeing off all the blog reviews of this place and am yet to see anyone not leave satisfied overall. I just need to get around to gathering some people and making a booking as I am not patient enough to wait in line!

Following on from our first unofficial meet and our second official meet, both at Steve’s Fine Food and Wine in Nedlands comes our third group meet. This time around we met south of the river at Bad Apples in Applecross. I had been meaning for far too long to come and check this place out after all the rave reviews I had read as well as BF having been on a few occasions already and loving it. Alas I had not been able to spare a night before, however my quick sample of their menu and the chance to eye off their wines and bar has made sure that I will be back a lot sooner than it took for me to here the first time. For a review of the food BF and I had while we were at Bad Apples head to the bottom of this blog post.

Any who, enough about Bad Apples for now and on with the wines! For this meet Perth Wine Enthusiast and Tom (Wine Director at Bad Apples Bar) were in-charge of selecting the wines and even dipped into their own personal cellar for this meet. We ended up with a selection of 1 Rose, 5 Whites, 6 Reds and a fortified for tasting on the night. The atmosphere of the bar was much louder than Steve’s leading to our discussions this time around being much more limited and often isolated to those few around us at our long table.

The notes I made at this tasting were the same as last time, I scribbled down notes under the categories E (eyes: what I saw) N (nose: what I smelt) and P (Palate: what I tasted).

I have previously tried this wine from Express Winemakers at Little Creatures, and was not overly impressed with the wine. This time around I had a much larger glass and was able to give it a much better ‘swirl and sniff’ before having a sip and was much more impressed with the slight sweetness of strawberries and cherries I could note on the nose coming through in the palate. The wine came across refreshing and balanced. A good wine to start the evening with.

Whites

2011 Mandoleto Catarratto. Sicily, Italy. [12.5%, RRP ~$15]

E: vibrant, clear and pale lemon coloured wine in the glass

N: lemon, oak.

P: crisp, dry finish with a sherbet/rice-bubble texture on the tongue – quite an unusual feel.

This wine and the following were both excellent wines in their own merits. This first one was a perfect wine to drink on it’s own or would go excellently with some cheese personally. The following wine was not only twice the price but also packed twice the punch and was a delicious wine that made me crave a good steak to go with it.

Dandelions Vineyard, Legacy of the Barossa, 30 year old Pedro Ximenez. Barossa, Australia.

I have come across this winery before in the past and I was yet again impressed with their wines. I was first introduced to Dandelions Vineyard at the Rose Revolution last year. This fortified wine was a delightful way to end the meal and I slightly wish I had managed to savour some until I had the crumble for desert, alas this wine was too good to be saved until then!

Once we had sampled our way through the wines most of us had eyed off enough of dishes around the room and we famished enough to pick a few items off the menu to try. BF and I opted to try a few items off their share menu. I fell in love with the Beetroot dish off the menu, BF picked out the chicken and we decided to grab the share bread. When I went to order the food however we were informed that they had just sold out of the chicken dish. We ended up picking the venison chorizo instead and decided we have to return soon to see what is so good about the chicken.

Beetroot, Walnuts, Feta and Spinach warmed.

While the warm beetroot was a little different on first bite, the flavours in this dish all worked perfectly together and this dish did not last long with my love of beetroot.

Margaret River Venison Chorizo served on fresh house bread with a lime wedge.

This dish was passed around the table before it reached us and was well received. The chorizo had a bit of a bite but the lime juice helped tone it down. Again more of the bread which BF quickly devoured as he had already polished off the bread platter (pictured below). We will definitely be back just for the bread alone!

Share bread.

Apple and Strawberry Crumble.

When I looked over the menu I stumbled across the deserts and was instantly sold on the crumble. I had this confirmed by the staff member who took my order and commended me on my choice. I was not let down by the crumble which just hit the spot, and the ice-cream that came with it was to die for.

Overall Bad Apples was a great place to have dinner and a drink. The staff were more than friendly and helpful even when they had a line outside the door on a Wednesday night. I will be back for sure and early enough so I can score a table before the crowds begin to arrive.

We had our second meet for a group of Perth wine lovers and bloggers attempting the Wine Century Challenge. We met at Steve’s in Nedlands like our first meet, the blog post for our first meet can be found here. While we sampled our way through the wines I adopted the method of nothing down what I saw (1), smelt (2) and tasted (3) in the wine.

WHITES

Marq, 2011, Vermentino, Margaret River, Australia (RRP $27) – 11.5%

1. Clear and vibrant pale lemon coloured wine.

2. Crisp citrus, stone-fruits and sherbert.

3. Clean and refreshing on the palate with balanced acidity, dry medium finish.

This wine showed great potential for the grape varietal however the wine was a little too old and had turned a little flat and tired. I would love to get my hands on a younger vintage of this wine as it was my favourite white wine of the night for the potential it showed.

this is a wine I had tried the previous week, and while I had been slightly impressed with it at home I think it impressed me more at the tasting. Perhaps it was the use of better glassware or being able to isolate the flavours that I hadn’t been able to place last time a little better being at a tasting.

1. Plum red coloured wine in the glass.

2. Berry fruits, vanilla, oak, spice, ash/smoke.

3.Tannins, vanilla (brought a softness to the wine), rich and dense wine, hint of raspberries and strawberries on the palate, warm short to medium finish, rounded finish (lack of acid in the wine).

For those who want to see a different view on the challenge feel free to check out what Perth Wine Enthusiast thought of the wines. You can find the post on his blog here.

Anyone interested in joining us is more than welcome to! Our next meet will likely be in the next 4-5 weeks and will be occurring south of the river this time at Bad Apples Wine Bar in Applecross. Feel free to contact myself or Perth Wine Enthusiast if you wish to join us!